January 11, 2013

Bald Eagle Days

On the heels of our inclusion in the top 25 most interesting webcams for 2012, this weekend is Bald Eagle Days here in the Quad Cities. Alcoa has been a sponsor of the annual event for more than 20 years and we are again this year. We will have a booth at the QCCA Expo Center in Rock Island and various members of our staff will be on hand. Visitors can sign up to win an Alcoa EagleCam t-shirt, kids (and adults) can get a free EagleCam temporary tattoo and a 2013 calendar-card for tracking what is happening in the nest this year and we will have a large monitor with a live stream from the nest.

If you want to order your own Alcoa EagleCam items click the link above or the one below the video box. Also, if you want to know more about our online educational partnership with the Bettendorf Schools click the education link above or the one below the twitter feed box.

Comments

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Jan. 10.8:35 AM PST. No eagles in the nest yet his morning, but I was very happy to see the man we have been thanking since finding this wonderful site. JOHN RICHES: I remember asking him about the comment feed last year. He was nice enough to send me a personal e mail.That did it!!!We have been thanking him since, for all he has done to keep our eagle cam running, and putting up with all our comments. THANK YOU
MR.JOHN.(loved your picture)Good Looking guy too.Also thanks to ALCOA.

GREGORY:I know I shouldn't be butting in,but that is my nature.I dislike hurting anyone's feelings, & I feel for the person who is picked on. Not knowing who & what & where, one Should ignore when people say things that upset us.Just be yourself. Try not to antagonize (not sure about the spelling)over strange words.They are just words.Have a nice evening.Your friend
Annette

3:00 PST. Our Liberty & Justice just flew in. They aren't wasting any time, working together, to get things ready for the big day. I do hope the weather stays ok. for them.Looks a bit windy.They are gone at 3:11 PST>

First, I would just like to say, oh how I would really love to be in the Quad cities for Bald Eagle Days. how wonderful that Alcoa sponsors such a worthwhile event.
Second, I was able to capture a couple of short video clips of Justice on the nest in the first one, and both in the nest in the second one. Of course, Liberty was the one working!
Here are two links:

Nest empty now but I did see L and J this afternoon. The picture is so clear now and will do Mr. John proud at Bald Eagle Days!

Carol, LaDean, beamg, and anyone else that may be going to Eagle Days in the Quad City..try to get some pictures to post on NN...one with Mr. John would be terrific and we might even auction it off!! For all those attending..have fun and I hope the weather holds good for the event!

Carolyn, As always, I appreciate your sending us videos of Liberty & Justice. I also got a kick out of the baby Panda in China. Funny, there was a bowling video, which a watched last Sunday. The Pros are on each week for about 12 weeks. I am glued to the TV, watching these gals & guys , hoping I can learn from their techniques. Thanks again.

Liberty and Justice were in the nest early this morning! (7am) Picture quality was great, even with this wind, but there still seems to be an issue with the sound. What's the status on the audio? Is everything running as it should?
Thanks!

This is my 3rd year of watching these majestic birds on this site. It is truly sad to read all these comments and see where the people who claim the loudest to love and appreciate what Alcoa has done for them are the ones who act so childish and snide.

Go back and read the first season's comments. Grown-ups there, observing the wonder that Alcoa so graciously made available to them. Last year and now moving into this season has gotten out of hand and is ridiculous. This site is NOT about you, people. It's about Alcoa and the eagles.

You will do as you please and unless Alcoa steps in, you will continue but I truly hope Alcoa realizes that there are many of us out here who love this site, appreciate what they do and feel great sadness that a select few have taken over this part of the site and basically ruined it. There are wonderful, kind people who post here regularly, but it only takes a few to ruin it.

I'm not posting this to start a conversation. I'm giving Alcoa my opinion and perspective as a long time viewer and a lover of these birds.

When are they going to get audio? I've been watching the eagles at the nest, but no sound. The other eagle cam in Iowa uses UStream and theirs always works, also the camera can move and pan around. Maybe you should look into that

Liberty on nest when I came down to check e-mail at about 9:50 just looking around in a position where I could see the white spot on her head. No nestorations. Then up on the upper nest edge and still there at 10:20 CST when I have to leave.

12:39..EST
I missed it! (Liberty on the nest with the dirty beak). Maybe I'll get lucky and catch her later.

Hopefully they are giving everyone at Eagle Days a good fly-by show! I bet Justice and Liberty can put one on if they have a mind to! Wish I could be there to see it. Maybe Cherrycarol will post some pictures for us.

I am bummed to no end that I'm sitting here at home and not able to get over to the Expo and see the show and the Alcoa booth. Sorry Mavis. It's really making me sad today to not be there in person like I had planned. :-(

Justice landed in the nest with a piece of dinner in his beak. It looked like someone was flying just above him, but was out of view of the camera.
Liberty just flew in and they're both working together digging in the nest bowl.Justice jumped to the Alcoa branch....Liberty in the nest with dirt still on her beak.

Looks like I caught them in time this afternoon. You are right, Judith, that dirt is still clinging to Liberty's beak! Justice is really a beauty. You can tell the wind is pretty swift...Liberty just flew off (4:26)..Now goes Justice!!

LaDean, I told a few posters that you had to stay in that you have had a terrible time shaking the sore throat. I can tell you are out in the weather a LOT by the pictures you post...but they are awesome and worth it! You are right to stay in and take care of yourself as this looks to be a nasty weekend.

Liberty just flew back in with another stick for the wall. I noticed at night that the wall is tight as very little light shines through. She is good with the nest building.

Judith, I just read the weather report...10° tonight with possible 2 inches of snow! Sounds like the soup pots are coming out! Watching Liberty on the nest, you would think it is nice out as it doesn't seem to bother her at all. Should be in the teens now with wind 10-15 mph...that is freezing cold!

From the radar loop, it looks like the Quad Cities are in the middle of a donut hole, with snow all around you.
But don't worry, it looks like it's closing in and you'll be getting it in about an hour.

Kathryn, I don't see anything hitting the nest yet but I think I'll put on the coffee pot and watch for a bit. When you live in the South, it is always a treat to see snow. I bet it is not for you..but it's like grandchildren..we get to enjoy the "fun" part then send them home to the parents for all the "other" stuff!

I saw Mr. John's picture on twitter at the Alcoa booth at Eagle Days. I hope they enjoyed a good turnout and a good time.

Judy, I didn't see your post until after I posted. I looked at your radar link and you are right...it does look like a donut hole or the eye of the storm!! I don't see how they can escape it..it is coming their way! Thanks for the link.

How about YOU? You live in the mountains of NC..are you getting any tonight? Stay warm!

Judith, I looked at the nest a couple of times this morning but did not notice anything. I do see the blood spot and the black thing standing up next to a stick at 9 o'clock. It could be a black feather and does look like one. Not sure what happened. I guess everyone missed it as no one posted. You have a good eye!!

It is hard to make out in the snow but those might be white feathers in the bowl of the nest...hard to tell but clearer at full screen. Looks like blood in two part of the nest..center left and center.

Judith, I see what you are talking about..the snow makes it difficult to make anything out for sure..but...when the wind blows, what I see blowing is not snowflakes. I just haven't seen any white birds in the nest before. That black feather..if it is a feather...would have to be from a large bird judging by the size of it. I just don't know..

I think the blood spots came from the feather quills, not an injury. It really looks like there could have been a tussle in the nest, but the white feathers makes it seem like mostly tail feathers. Other than that one dark feather I don't see any smaller dark feathers.

I wish I could remember what time I turned my computer on this morning. Had to be after 7:00 AM, and the nest was smooth with freshly fallen snow. Then around 9:15 I spotted all the feathers.
Where's the rewind button?

Last year they had small water foul that had turquoise colored feet, they were like small ducks, and yes they could lift a bird as large as a goose with no problem (could be a snow goose) they are all white... Will really just have to wait.

Okay, I may have spotted something. Now I don't know if it was there before or not.

Enlarge the cam, you may have to keep changing the view, I like wide angle. Look below the nest around 3:00, about where the security light shows up. Am I seeing a dark large bird in the tree or something else?

Judith, I'm sure I've seen that before. Thought it could be mistletoe or another nest...that was when the camera was zoomed out more. I think L or J should bring in more straw to save the feathers from blowing away. They will make good insulation and padding for the nest bowl. Of course, eagles have been making their nests since the beginning of time so I guess they don't need me to tell them! Maybe cherrycarol will!! Good idea..now if I just had her number...

Actually, I've been watching and L or J should visit the nest before too long...

Wow, feather lined nest, scratch one sea gull. Guess the fishing is not too good when they start grabbing birds and critters on the ground. That is why these eagles are the top of the food chain in birds and smalls.My dog use to hate seagulls, they steal dog food and anything they can,She would bark and growl when they flew around and then gobble up all her food,even the little left overs tidbits so the gulls can't get it.

i strongly believe the head of the prey is still there from viewing on the large screen at 10 oclock inside bowl.

since the feathers have still not blown away and it has been some time, i wonder if this could have been something very very early and was then covered by snow and not noticed till later which could suggest that the feathers are still locked in cold snow.-- i have seen a few blow away here and there.

Thank you Chuck for sending this very informative video. It was fascinating to get such a good close up of the Golden Eagle, and how he catches his prey. (I am glad he wasn't after me,actually I don't have much meat on my body,& wouldn't taste as good as a deer or rabbit). I enjoy reading your posts also. Keep up the good work.
Annette